Overview
This unit will consolidate relevant knowledge and values acquired through your own clinical practice and studies in this course, assisting you to transition to practice as a clinician in your new scope of practice. You will explore key concepts and principles in areas such as applying ethical principles, working in a multidisciplinary team, leadership and management. You will also learn the importance of ongoing professional development relevant to your own continuous improvement as well as the care you provide as a clinician.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student feedback & self-reflection
Include video resources
Consider future opportunities within the unit to include video resources, e.g. introduction to each theme
- Critically reflect upon ethical principles relevant to your applied scope of practice
- Formulate strategies for integration and functionality within a multidisciplinary team
- Appraise leadership and managerial skills relevant to your scope of practice
- Design a plan for ongoing professional development.
n/a
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 70% | ||||
| 2 - Professional Practice Plans (learning plans) - 30% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.shearer@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
THEME 1: Transition to practice
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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THEME 1: Transition to practice
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THEME 2: Applying ethical principles
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THEME 2: Applying ethical principles
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THEME 3: Working in a multi-disciplinary team
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THEME 3: Working in a multi-disciplinary team
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THEME 4: Leadership, management & mentoring
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THEME 4: Leadership, management & mentoring
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THEME 5: Professional development
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THEME 5: Professional development
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THEME 6: Applying basic business principles
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THEME 6: Applying basic business principles
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1 Portfolio
This task involves the development of a portfolio, which is a collection of ideas about individual yet related topic areas under the banner of transition to practice. In this portfolio, you are expected to write an essay addressing three (3) separate sections, as outlined below:
Section 1: Applied Ethics
In this section, discuss two (2) situations where an ethical challenge has presented itself during your current practice. Please do not include any information that may identify any participants in your described situations.
For each situation, please start with an introduction, including background context, and explore the ethical principles you felt were in play and what any issues or conflicts were. Following this, please discuss the following:
- Whether the issues were resolved? If so, how? If not, what was the result?
- How did you feel about being involved in or witnessing the situation?
- How will your experience of this ethical challenge affect your future practice?
- Your reflections on your current knowledge of ethics as part of your practice.
- If you feel any self-development is required, outline your plan.
You should support your discussion of each situation with reference to the literature.
If you do not have any situations you were involved in, please contact the unit coordinator for further guidance.
Additionally, any work that is not your own must be referenced accordingly.
Section 2: Integration into a multidisciplinary team
Healthcare professionals have an ever-increasing responsibility to act as members of multidisciplinary teams, ensuring good communication and teamwork form the foundation of quality patient care. In this section of your portfolio, research and document the following:
- What are important qualities to demonstrate, and what skills are required to engage effectively as a multidisciplinary team member?
- Why is the integration of healthcare professionals important to quality patient care?
- What are the barriers to effective team membership or engagement?
- How might these barriers be overcome (in the interests of patient safety and advocacy)?
Please integrate your response to this section with support from the literature.
Section 3: Leadership and Management
In this section, reflect on situations you have experienced during your own practice and/or work-integrated learning placements, and research and document:
- What qualities or traits do you consider essential for a leader or manager?
- As a leader or manager, the communication skills and/or strategies necessary to effectively engage with colleagues, including in culturally diverse contexts.
- Why does a leader or manager need to be visible and accessible?
- What makes a good mentor, and what are your experiences with mentoring (either as a mentor or mentee)?
- How do you currently offer feedback (positive and negative), and any areas you have identified for improving your approach?
- How would you create an inclusive and culturally safe work environment as a leader?
- What are some effective strategies to assist with conflict management?
Please integrate your response to this section with support from the literature.
Week 9 Friday (15 Sept 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (29 Sept 2023)
The expected word count for your portfolio is 4000 words (+/- 10%). The portfolio will be assessed in accordance with the rubric provided on the unit Moodle page.
Criteria include:
Overall presentation
- Organisation of your portfolio.
- Writing mechanics.
- Word count.
- In-text referencing.
- Reference list.
Content on each of the areas as outlined
- Applied ethics.
- Integration into a multidisciplinary team.
- Leadership & management.
This portfolio is worth 70% of the marks for this unit.
- Critically reflect upon ethical principles relevant to your applied scope of practice
- Formulate strategies for integration and functionality within a multidisciplinary team
- Appraise leadership and managerial skills relevant to your scope of practice
2 Professional Practice Plans (learning plans)
Preamble
Increasingly, health professionals are required to maintain records for their continuing professional development, though often this is achieved through an ad-hoc process rather than a defined plan.
Task description
This assessment task requires you to engage in a process of critical self-reflection to assess your journey thus far and to design your continuing professional practice development plan. There are four (4) sections required in your plan outlined below. As you develop your plan, there will be various points where you will turn to the literature. Please ensure you reference any work that is not your own appropriately. Your plan must be functional and consolidate your ideas to ensure a smooth, progressive transition to a new scope of practice.
Please address the following in your professional practice development plan:
1. Your professional development to date
Critically reflect upon and discuss your development as a professional to the decision point of enrolling in this course (your Masters degree).
- What is your background and context?
- What professional development had you undertaken prior to enrolling in this course?
- What was your motivation for enrolling in this course?
- What did you hope to gain from this course?
2. Your future
Next, contemplate your future career. In doing so, please discuss the following:
- Where do you plan to apply your new knowledge and qualifications upon completing this course?
- Do opportunities in this field exist within your current service or organisation?
- What is the prevalence of opportunities for your skills, experience, and knowledge portfolio beyond your current employment or outside your discipline area?
- Are there further studies or professional development tasks you would like or need to undertake to set yourself up for success in the future?
3. SMART goals
Having considered where you have been professionally and where you would like to take your career in the future, formulate at least three (3) goals utilising the SMART framework. Each goal must address each component of the SMART framework, being that your goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. You may represent this information in a table for each goal developed. Please ensure you focus on goals relevant to your own professional development.
4. Summary
Review what you have written in your development plan and summarise your planned direction. Finally, articulate the first step you will take after completing your course.
Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2023)
The expected word count for your professional practice development plan is 2500 words (+/- 10%). Your plan will be assessed in accordance with the rubric provided on the unit Moodle page.
Criteria include:
Overall presentation
- Organisation of your development plan.
- Writing mechanics.
- Word count.
- In-text referencing.
- Reference list.
Content
- Discussion of your professional development to date.
- Discussion of your future.
- SMART goals listed and accurately address your professional development.
- Summary of planned direction.
- First step articulated.
This development plan is worth 30% of the marks for this unit.
- Design a plan for ongoing professional development.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
